Tractor-driven skidder



Oct. 23, 1928.

J. v. l.. PEAcocK TRACTOR DRIVEN SKIDDER Filed Aug. 11. 1'924 2 Sheets-Sheet Oct. 23, 1928.

J. V. L. PEACOCK TRACTOR DRIVEN SKIDDER 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Aug. 11, 1924 @nutmeg Patented Get. Z3, 1.928.

naires strates incassa JAMES V. L. IPEACOCK, OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA.

TRACTOR-DRIVEN SKIDDER.

Application led August'll, 192.4 Serial No. 731,399. l

My invention relates to pulling mechanismv ably adapted to receive the tractor thereonf so that both the front end of the tractor and its rear axle housing can be easily and positively clamped to the skid, but essentially it is designed for rigid attachment to the rear axle housing. v

My invention further contemplates the removal of the rear tractor Wheels and their replacement by gears, `and in this respect it constitutes anv improvement on, and a further adaptation of, the stump puller form ing the subject matter of Letters Patent No. 1,529,912, issued Vto me on the 17th day of March, 1925. V

A further distinctive feature of my present invention is the provision on the skid of bearings to receive an auxiliary axle upon Which supporting Wheels can be mounted to enable the skid, when'its forward end has been coupled to the tractor draw bar, to be readily transported. y

In my stump puller mechanism the gears replacing the rear wheels Were caused to mesh gears on the ends of the ydrum shaft but for skidding purposes it is desirable that the drum should be readily connected to and disconnected from the drive and to this end. I interpose an intermediate shaft ,having a clutch control or sliding gear yfor connecting the drum shaft to and disconnecting it from the intermediate shaft.

My invention further contemplates improvements in the design of the skid Which is a Wide flat bottomed support having at its forward end a cable roller under WhichA the skidding rope is paid out, and having a tapered extension frame adapted to carry at its apex a cable guide and to'serve to deflect the skid from side to side Vabout stumps and like obstructions as it is drawn forward by the cable to change position, this arrangement permitting the ready shift-ing of the skid Without requiring the remounting of its transport Wheels. v Y 1 My invention further contemplates mounting on the skid a brake pedal adapted to control the paying out of cable from the released drum, such pedalbeing in convenient position to be controlled from the seat of the tractor. f

My invention vfurther comprises the novel details of construction and arrangements of parts, which in their preferred embodiment only are illustrated in the accompanying drawingsY which form a part of this specification, and in Which:-.-

Fig. 1 is ya plan vievv of theskidding attachment anchored showing the tractor Wheels removed and the rear axles geared to n the skidding mechanism, the skidfhaving its Fig. 5 is a detail side view of the front Wheel supporting plate andl front axle holddowns. Y

Fig. 6 shows the skid mounted onvremovable transport Wheels and connected to the tractor dravv bar for being transported.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.l

In the embodiment of my invention, I shovv ,a typical tractor 1 having al front axle 2, front vwheels 3, a seat 4, a housing 5 for its differentially' driven rear axles 6 upon which the rear tractor Wheels are usually -mounted My Ainvention does not contemplate any change in the standard parts of the tractor as thus far described, except that I propose to'remove the rear tractor Wheels and replace` themV With gears 7 adapted to fit the rear axles. My ski'ddng mechanism proper comprises a skid or platform 8 preferably sup-v ported by longitudinal members Q'Which have attached to their bottom edges a metal plate 10, this plate extending the full width of the platform. The sills are tapered upwardly at each end to give the plate an upward slope, thus making the skid ride more readily over the ground when it is dragged forward or back. I prefer to make the skid long enough so that a depressed run way 11 on each side of it will receive the fronttractor wheeis when the tractor is backed onto the skidso as to bring its rear axle housing into position above the bearing seats therefor in the pedestals 12 which are adapted to receive and support the rear end of the tractor whenits rear wheels have been removed. It is only essential that the skid support, and be held rigid with, the rear Vaxle housing. A cap 13 is clamped to each pedestal over the housing Y so as to rigidly connect the housing to the pedestal. An intermediate shaft 14 is suitably'journaled in the pedestals and carries a Sliding gear 15 splined thereto and adapted to be moved into and out of nieshpwitli a large gear 16 fast on theudrun'i 17. rIllie drum is mounted upon an axle 18 journaled vin the l inclined rear 'end 19 of each `pedestal and the drum is adapted to receive the cable 20'which is used for skidding or other pulling purposes. At their rear end the pedestals terminate in hooks 21 which are cross connected by a brace '22. These hooks are adapted to receive yan anchor cable 23 by means of which the rear endof the skid can be made fast tov any suit-' able anchor suoli asY a stump 24. The pedestals near their bases carry aligning bearings 25 adapted to receive a removable aXle 26 which, when inV place will receive transport wheels 27 uponv which the rear end of ther skid may be sup vorted when it is being moved for substantial distances.` v

I attach to the forward end of the full length skid on each side a pair of angle plates 28 upon which the front tractor wheels will i seat, eaeh'plate having a concave face forniing part of the runway on its respective side and having an overhung grooved concave flange 29 to receive the center ifibon the front tractoiwheel. The upper lend of this plate overlaps and is bolted to the skid platform and carries an eye stud v30 which receives an veye bolt 31that carries at its upper end a clamp Vmember 32 adapted to be engaged over the front tractor axle 2-and to be clamped against the latter by a nut 33 on the eyebolt.V

Acasting 34 having a pair of perforated ears in which a forwardrope cable roller 35 is journaled.` The casting at each side provides Ybearings 36 for the vertical axes of side guide rollers 37 adapted to hold the cablein proper engagement with the roller while leaving it free to work laterally as it is paid off the drum.

The skid, as illustrated, has squared or stub ends which are braced by a rear cross channel 38 and a front bar 39, but any other suit able means may be used. In order that the skid may be adapted to be pulled along over the ground to different operating positions by the use of its own pulling cable when such is connected to an anchor in front of the skidding mechanism, I provide an extension frame which is triangular in plan and which comprises a central channel iron 40 adapted to fit into a countersunk recess provided in the forward end of the skid to brace the iron laterally and to enable it to be passed under the casting 34. The rear end .of the channel,

from which the side flanges are removed, enf gages under a holddown plate 41, fast on the platform. This channel end has an aperture to receive a pin 42 which will pass through a corresponding holein the hold-down plate 41 and thus secure the channel to the skid. A

vbracket 43 is bolted to the underside of the channel and engages under the bar 39 at the forward end of the skid so as to yhold the' This bracket provides a transverse horizontal Journal for a sheave 46 and also spaced vertical journals for a pair of side guide rollers 47 set in advance of the sheave. The casting has rearwardly opening divergent sockets 48 adapted to receive pipes or rods 49 that eX- teiid towards each of the front corners of the skid and are there received in eyes or bearings 50 formed by castings suitably bolted to.V

the skid. A pin 51 is provided in each socket to fasten a pipe 49 demountably therein. `T he casting 44 has a forward extension with a hole 52 therein, by means of which it can be coupled to the rear draw bar 53 of the tractor.

The rearwardly Vdivergent rods 49v vce form with the channel a triangular or tapered front c nd for the skid which vwill divert it from side to side as it strikes obstructions when being skidded forward by drawing in on the cable against afront anchor. After the skiddmg mechanism has been relocated and an anchor provided for its rear end,

this front extension, including the channel and the side pipes 49, can be removed from the skid andthe skidding operation cai-- ried on.`

Ordinarily it is desirable that the skidding cable be paid off rapidly and to this end a shift lever 54 is provided, in convenient position for operation by adriver onthe tractor seat to move the gear on the intermediate shaft out of mesh with the drum gear, whereupon the cable will pull off freely'until it is 1,6eaes4 again attached to its load, thereupon the lever 54 is again shifted to couple the drum to the intermediate shaft and the tractor, through its rear axles and the gearing shown will drive the drum and pull the logs or other load with great power in the desired manner. l provide the drum with a brake band 55 and operate this brake band by a pull rod 56 extending forward to the brake lever 57 pivoted to a bracket 58 on the skid in position to be conveniently operated by the foot of an operator seated on the tractor seat.

lVhen it is desired to move the skidding mechanisml for substantial distances, the gears 7 are detached from the rear axles, the clamps are released from the front tractor axle, and the rear tractor Wheels are replaced on the rear axles. The housing 5 is released from the pedestals and the tractor moves off under its oivn power. rlhe removable axle 26 is then introduced in the bearings provided therefor in the pedestals and the transport Wheels 27 are mounted on it. The channel f iron l0 is then mounted in position in the tractor housing in ,position on the skid, gears adapted to replace said rear tractor' Wheels, a cable drum driven by said gears, means to mount said drum on the skid, and means to anchor the skid, said skid having depressed side run Ways adapted to receive the tractorv Wheels.

2. An attachment for converting tractors into skidders and the like, according to claim 1, in Which the skid comprises a raised center platform supported on longitudinal inembers and in which the side run Ways for the tractor Wheels are lovver than said platform,

said longitudinal members being tapered upwardly at their ends and having a sheet metal supporting surface attached to their under sides. Y

3. Means to convert a tractor having rear axles and a housing therefor into a skidder and the like, comprising a skid having side iun Ways to receive the tractor Wheels, a demountable extension near the front of the tractor, detachable angular braces connecting the extension, to the skid and removable .to clear said run Ways, anchorage connections for the skid, means vto rigidly mount the rear axle housing of the tractor on the skid, gears to replace the rear Wheels on the rear axles of the tractor, va countersliaft mounted on the skid and having gears meshing both rear axle gears, a drum yhaving a shaft mounted on the rear tractor Wheels and adapted to drive said drinn, a triangular front end extension on the skid vvith a guide for the skidding cable at its apex, means on said extension to couple it to a tractor draw bar, and means to mount temporary transport Wheels on the skid.

5. An attachment "for Aconverting a tractor into a skidder and the like, comprising a skid having rear supports for the rear vend of the tractor and means to clampt-he tractor to said supports, a drinn Vshaft mounted on the skid, a transmission at each side to drive said drum shaft from the rear axles of the tractor, a forward extension guide carried by the skid for a pulling cable Wound on said drum, said guide having a hold-down` pulley under which the cable runs. v v K 6. An attachment for converting a tractor having rear axles and a housing therefor into a skidder, comprising a skid, means to rigidly mount the rear axle housing of the' tractor on the skid, gears to replace the rear Wheels of the tractor, a drum and mechanism mounted on the skid to drive the drum from said gears, means to detachably mount transport Wheels on the skid, a cable guide extension ,provided on one end of the skid, and means provided on thecable guide extension to couple it to tlietractor dravv bar.

7. An attachment for Yconverting tractors into skidders and the like, comprising a light portable skid adapted to be rigidly clamped to the rear end .of the tractor and support it with its rear wheels removed, a. gear driven drum mounted on said skid, gears replacing the rear tractor Wheels and adapted to drive said drum, a triangular front end extensionv on the skid With a guide'for the skiddiiig cable at its apex, and means yoii said extension to couple it to a tractor draw bar.

8. An attachment for converting a tractor into a skidder and the like, comprising a skid having rear supports for the rear end ofthe tractor and means toclamp the tractor to said supports, a drum shaft mounted on the skid,

a transmission at each side to drive said drum shaft from the rear axles of the tractor, a forward extension. guide carried by the skid for a pulling cable Wound on said drum, said guide having a hold-down means under Which the cable runs.

9. A tractor driven skidder comprising iai slidable skid base supporting the entire tractor and having a triangular' prow, means on the skid base for securing the rear aXle housing of the tractor, gears for replacing the rear tractor wheels, a drum mounted on the skid base and driven from the gears, a pulling cable on the drum, and guide means for the cable on the prow of the skid base whereby the skid with tractor' mounted thereon may be easily dragged over rough ground by secur- 10 ing the end of the cable at a point remote from the skid and winding the cable on the drum.

In testimony whereof a'llix my signature,

JAMES V. L. rnaooor; 

